Hole gets deeper for struggling Trenton hotel

TRENTON — The state held the trump card at Tuesday’s council meeting for the Trenton Marriott.

After a presentation delivered by the Lafayette Yard Community Development Corporation in an attempt to request $200,000 for transition costs, Business Administrator Sam Hutchinson dropped a bombshell.

The surprise came in the form of an email sent from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs to Hutchinson earlier Tuesday.

“They will not even consider any funding or recognize and support the hotel until they receive a comprehensive plan from the city,” Hutchinson said at the meeting, adding the report is to contain information on sustainability, other options and profit. “I think there are a number of issues remaining on the table.”

Due to this information, council removed the hotel funding request from the agenda that officials were to vote on at Thursday’s meeting.

Hutchinson remains hopeful the city could get its act together, but time is running out.

Marriott is slated to pull out of the city’s only hotel on June 14.

A few times during the council meeting there was discussion of the hotel going dark.

The LYCDC was planning to transition the hotel to a Wyndham brand on June 15, but that seems highly unlikely now due to the state’s request and a majority of council claiming they will no longer fund the hotel.

Councilwoman Kathy McBride was furious over the state’s recent maneuver.

She announced Trenton has a new mayor.

(Department of Community of Affairs Director Thomas) Neff is the mayor of the City of Trenton,” McBride declared. “Mayor Tony F. Mack is just a figurehead.”

The city recently entered into a memorandum of understanding with the DCA for the $25.4 million in transitional aid awarded in February. It ultimately means there are strings attached to the money with how the city conducts its operations.

Councilwoman Marge Caldwell-Wilson, who voted in favor of providing nearly $300,000 to the hotel two months ago, told The Trentonian Monday she will no longer support funding the Marriott.

She asked at the meeting why the LYCDC did not reach out to Trenton-based international businessman Shelly M. Zeiger, who said last month he is interested in purchasing the hotel.

Hutchinson said the city will be meeting with Zeiger Friday.

“That’s not the only option for sale,” he said. “That may not necessarily be the best option.”

According to the hotel’s asset manager at Tuesday’s meeting, the bottom value of the hotel is $3 million.